The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), as amended, sets forth
requirements regarding the privacy of student records. FERPA governs:
The release of education records maintained by an educational institution
The access to these records
As a student you have the right to:
Inspect and review your education records
Request amendment of your education records
Limit disclosure of some personally identifiable information known as directory information
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights
with respect to their education records. These rights are:
The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of
the day the College receives a request for access.
Students should submit to the registrar, dean, or other appropriate official a written
request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The College official will
make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the
records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the College official
to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct
official to whom the request should be addressed.
The right to request amendment of the student's education records that the student
believes to be inaccurate or misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student's
privacy rights under FERPA.
Students may ask the College to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or
misleading. They should write the College official responsible for the record, clearly
identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it should be changed.
If the College decides not to amend the record as requested, the College will notify
the student in writing of the decision and of the student's right to a hearing regarding
the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedure
will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.
The right to provide written consent before the College discloses personally identifiable
information from the student's educational record, except to the extent that FERPA
authorizes disclosure without consent.
The College discloses education records without a student's prior written consent
under the FERPA exception for disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational
interests.
A school official is defined as a person employed by the College in an administrative,
supervisory, academic, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit and
health staff); a person or company with whom the College has contracted (such as an
attorney, auditor, collection agent, vendor, volunteer or other party to whom the
College has outsourced institutional services or functions); a person serving on the
Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary
or grievance committee or are assisting another school official in performing his
or her tasks.
A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review
an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibilities for
the College.
FERPA permits non-consensual disclosure of education records, or personally identifiable,
non-directory information from education records, in connection with a health or safety
emergency.
Educational institutions may disclose information from an education record "to appropriate
parties in connection with an emergency if knowledge of the information is necessary
to protect the health or safety of the student or other individuals" and that the
exception will be "strictly construed." This exception is temporally limited to the
period of the emergency and generally will not allow for a blanket release of personally
identifiable information from a student's education records.
The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged
failures by the College to comply with the requirements of FERPA.
FERPA Administration
Family Policy Compliance Office U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave., S.W. Washington, DC 20202-4605
Student Directory Information
Terra State Community College has designated the following items as directory information
that may be released to third parties without the student's consent. Directory information
is considered to be students' names, addresses, and telephone numbers; email addresses;
photographs; dates of attendance; grade levels (first or second year students), enrollment
status and ranks; degrees, honors and award; high schools and other colleges attended.
The College may release directory information about any student who has not specifically
requested the withholding of such information. Students who do not want directory
information released must submit a change through Banner Self Service. Former students
who no longer have access to Banner Self Service should contact the Student Records
Office at recordsdept@terra.edu or 419.559.2405 for assistance.
